Item Description
Original Item: Only One Available. On the eve of the First World War, the Ottoman Empire was in ruinous shape. It had lost substantial territory in disastrous wars, its economy was in shambles and its subjects were demoralized. The Empire needed time to recover and to carry out reforms, but the world was sliding into war and it would need to take a position. After the Italo-Turkish War and Balkan Wars, the Empire's resources were completely drained. Remaining neutral and focusing on recovery became impossible on the outbreak of the First World War, so the Empire needed to ally with one camp or the other. It did not have adequate quantities of weaponry or machinery, and lacked the financial means to purchase new ones. The Sublime Porte's only option was to establish an alliance with a European power; it did not seem to really matter which one. Talat Pasha, the Minister of Interior, wrote in his memoirs: "Turkey needed to join one of the country groups so that it could organize its domestic administration, strengthen and maintain its commerce and industry, expand its railroads, in short, to survive and to preserve its existence."
Here we have a very nice Ottoman Turkish officer's Lion Head sword from the closing days of the Ottoman Empire. Founded in 1299, by the 19th Century it was only a shadow of what it had been, and choosing the fight on the Central Powers side during WWI proved to be its undoing.
Nevertheless, they still were able to field a substantial and well armed (with German Help) force during WWI, and this very smart officers short sword is from that same period. It is a lovely design, a single edged weapon designed for carry by a high-ranking Ottoman officer. On both sides of the blade are ornate engraved designs, with the obverse design displaying the star and crescent moon of the Ottoman Empire. It has a lovely wire-wrapped bone grip with an ornate guard ending in a lovely Lion’s Head pommel with faux ruby eyes, with the Crescent moon insignia also on the chape.
The spine of the sword bears the marking ROBERT HERMES, SOLINGEN. This was a known maker of swords during the late 19th and early 20th century. This maker of edged weapons and bicycle parts was owned in 1900 by Fritz, Ernst, Paul and Eugen Hermes. The 1920 edition of the DRAB listed 'side-arms and edged weapons' among the principal products, but Hermes also specialised in the manufacture of scabbards and sheaths. By 1922, however, advertisements concentrated on products for the automobile and bicycle industries.
The blade shows just a bit of oxidation, and little sign of use, and does not appear to have been sharpened. It fits very nicely into its steel scabbard which is also lightly oxidized. The bone grip shows cracking and heavy wear, but the wire wrap is well-retained. The guard is a bit loose to the blade but nothing serious.
A rather rare and beautiful sword with a lovely lion’s head pommel, ready for further research and display.
Specifications:
Blade length: 32¼”
Blade Style: Single Edged with Fuller
Overall length: 37½”
Scabbard length: 33¾”
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